Print control apparatus, and method, for selecting a control mode for use in printing image data

ABSTRACT

A print control apparatus includes a receiving unit which receives print data containing gloss-control-plane image data indicating gloss control values for identifying a type of surface effect and a region where the surface effect is to be applied, a storage unit which stores information containing multiple total-amount control modes and stores surface-effect choice information which defines, for each of the gloss control values, the surface effect type, a total-amount control mode, and a priority level of the total-amount control mode, a generating unit which generates transparent-developing-material image data indicating pixel-by-pixel density values each depending on a transparent-developing-material recording amount, and a selecting unit which selects a total-amount control mode whose priority level is highest in total-amount control modes of surface effect types associated with the gloss control values of the gloss-control-plane image data as a total-amount control mode for use in printing the transparent-developing-material image data.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to and incorporates by referencethe entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-239942 filedin Japan on Nov. 20, 2013.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relate generally to a print control apparatus, aprint control method, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

2. Description of the Related Art

Some type of known image processing apparatus includes a clear tonerwhich is colorless toner containing no colorant in addition to colortoners of four colors of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black(K), for example. Visual and/or tactile effect (hereinafter, “surfaceeffect”) can be produced by fixing a toner image formed with a cleartoner onto transfer paper where an image is formed with the CMYK toners.The produced surface effect varies depending on what toner image isformed with the clear toner and how the clear-toner image is fixed. Sometype of surface effect may simply give a gloss, while some surfaceeffect may reduce gloss. Some type of surface effect is applied forsurface protection. Some type of surface effect may be applied only to apart of a surface rather than to the entire surface. Some type ofsurface effect may be applied to add a texture or a watermark with cleartoner. Surface effect can be produced not only by way of controllingfixing but also by causing a dedicated postprocessing device, such as aglosser or a low-temperature fixing device, to apply finishing. Atechnique for controlling deposition of clear toner using a glosscontrol plane is provided in recent years. An example of the techniqueis disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2012-083736.

Meanwhile, there is a limit on a total amount of developing material,such as ink or toner, which can be recorded (deposited) by an imageprocessing apparatus on a recording member. There can be a case where animage is formed with toners of five or more colors consisting of theCMYK four colors and a special toner(s). In such a case, if a totalamount of the toners is excessively large, a resultant printed image istypically undesirably degraded in image quality due to text “bleed”caused by scattered toner or unevenly fixed toner. There is a knownscheme for limiting the total amount of developing materials to preventthe total amount from exceeding the limit. Hereinafter, this techniqueis referred to as “total amount control”.

Known examples of such a scheme include a total-amount control scheme(which is a combination of a specific total-amount limit value and anengine speed), which achieves high image quality by increasing an upperlimit of total toner amount (total-amount limit value) by making use offact that the lower engine speed, the larger the amount of toner whichcan be fixed to paper. Another known total-amount control schememaintains productivity by reducing the total-toner-amount limit valuerather than reducing the engine speed.

A printer disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No.2003-162199 is configured to switch an engine speed depending on anamount of toners to be used in printing print data to provide a certainlevel of print quality and achieve effective printing.

However, because such a conventional total amount control scheme doesnot take influence of total amount control on surface effect intoaccount, total amount control can be a cause of failure in producingdesired surface effect in some cases.

Therefore, it is desirable to provide a print control apparatus, a printcontrol method, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium capable ofswitching to an appropriate total-amount control mode while takinginfluence of total amount control on surface effect into account.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to at least partially solve theproblems in the conventional technology.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided aprint control apparatus including: a receiving unit configured toreceive print data containing gloss-control-plane image data indicatinggloss control values, each of the gloss control values being foridentifying a type of surface effect to be applied using a transparentdeveloping material to a region on a recording member where an image isto be recorded and the region where the surface effect is to be appliedon the recording member; a storage unit configured to storetotal-amount-control mode information containing multiple total-amountcontrol modes, each of the total-amount control modes being acombination of a total-amount limit value indicating an upper limit of adeveloping-material recording amount and a printing speed, and storesurface-effect choice information defining, for each of the glosscontrol values, the surface effect type, a total-amount control mode,and a priority level of application of the total-amount control mode; agenerating unit configured to generate transparent-developing-materialimage data from the gloss-control-plane image data and thesurface-effect choice information, the transparent-developing-materialimage data indicating pixel-by-pixel density values of the image, eachof the density values depending on a recording amount of the transparentdeveloping material; and a selecting unit configured to select, based onthe gloss-control-plane image data and the surface-effect choiceinformation, a total-amount control mode of which priority level ishighest in total-amount control modes of surface effect types associatedwith the gloss control values contained in the gloss-control-plane imagedata as a total-amount control mode for use in printing thetransparent-developing-material image data.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provideda print control method performed by a print control apparatus, the printcontrol method including: receiving print data containinggloss-control-plane image data indicating gloss control values, each ofthe gloss control values being for identifying a type of surface effectto be applied using a transparent developing material to a region on arecording member where an image is to be recorded and the region wherethe surface effect is to be applied on the recording member; referringtotal-amount-control mode information containing multiple total-amountcontrol modes, each of the total-amount control modes being acombination of a total-amount limit value indicating an upper limit of adeveloping-material recording amount and a printing speed, and storingsurface-effect choice information defining, for each of the glosscontrol values, the surface effect type, a total-amount control mode,and a priority level of application of the total-amount control mode;generating transparent-developing-material image data from thegloss-control-plane image data and the surface-effect choiceinformation, the transparent-developing-material image data indicatingpixel-by-pixel density values of the image, each of the density valuesdepending on a recording amount of the transparent developing material;and selecting a total-amount control mode of which priority level ishighest in total-amount control modes of surface effect types associatedwith the gloss control values contained in the gloss-control-plane imagedata as a total-amount control mode for use in printing thetransparent-developing-material image data based on thegloss-control-plane image data and the surface-effect choiceinformation.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a non-transitory computer-readable medium including computerreadable program codes, performed by a computer, the program codes whenexecuted causing the computer to execute: receiving print datacontaining gloss-control-plane image data indicating gloss controlvalues, each of the gloss control values being for identifying a type ofsurface effect to be applied using a transparent developing material toa region on a recording member where an image is to be recorded and theregion where the surface effect is to be applied on the recordingmember; referring total-amount-control mode information containingmultiple total-amount control modes, each of the total-amount controlmodes being a combination of a total-amount limit value indicating anupper limit of a developing-material recording amount and a printingspeed, and storing surface-effect choice information defining, for eachof the gloss control values, the surface effect type, a total-amountcontrol mode, and a priority level of application of the total-amountcontrol mode; generating transparent-developing-material image data fromthe gloss-control-plane image data and the surface-effect choiceinformation, the transparent-developing-material image data indicatingpixel-by-pixel density values of the image, each of the density valuesdepending on a recording amount of the transparent developing material;and selecting a total-amount control mode of which priority level ishighest in total-amount control modes of surface effect types associatedwith the gloss control values contained in the gloss-control-plane imagedata as a total-amount control mode for use in printing thetransparent-developing-material image data based on thegloss-control-plane image data and the surface-effect choiceinformation. The above and other objects, features, advantages andtechnical and industrial significance of this invention will be betterunderstood by reading the following detailed description of presentlypreferred embodiments of the invention, when considered in connectionwith the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example configuration of a printcontrol system of a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of color-plane image data ofthe first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of surface effect typesrelated to absence/presence of gloss of the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of gloss-control-plane imagedata of the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of clear-planeimage data of the first embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an example configuration of ahost apparatus of the first embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image to be displayedby the host apparatus of the first embodiment when accepting inputoperations;

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image to be displayedby the host apparatus of the first embodiment when acceptingsurface-effect specification information through input operations;

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of density-value choiceinformation of the first embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example structure ofprint data of the first embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method to be followed by the hostapparatus of the first embodiment in producing print data;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a method to be followed by the hostapparatus of the first embodiment in producing gloss-control-plane imagedata;

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating relationship between drawing objects,coordinates, and density values of the gloss-control-plane image dataillustrated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example configuration of a DFE ofthe first embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of surface-effect choiceinformation of the first embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an example of total-amount-controlmode information of the first embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating an example of selecting a total-amountcontrol mode of the first embodiment;

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating another example of selecting atotal-amount control mode of the first embodiment;

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating an example of unit on which basis aselecting unit of the first embodiment selects total-amount controlmodes;

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating another example of the unit on whichbasis the selecting unit of the first embodiment selects total-amountcontrol modes;

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating still another example of the unit onwhich basis the selecting unit of the first embodiment selectstotal-amount control modes;

FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating still another example of the unit onwhich basis the selecting unit of the first embodiment selectstotal-amount control modes;

FIG. 23 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a print control methodof the first embodiment;

FIG. 24 is a flowchart illustrating an example procedure for a processof generating clear-toner image data of the first embodiment;

FIG. 25 is a diagram illustrating an example procedure for a process ofselecting total-amount control modes of the first embodiment;

FIG. 26 is a diagram illustrating an example configuration of a printcontrol system of a second embodiment;

FIG. 27 is a diagram illustrating an example configuration of the DFE ofthe second embodiment;

FIG. 28 is a diagram illustrating an example configuration of a serverapparatus of the second embodiment;

FIG. 29 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of a print controlmethod of the second embodiment; and

FIG. 30 is a diagram illustrating an example hardware structure of thehost apparatus and the DFE of the first and second embodiments and theserver apparatus of the second embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described in detailbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First Embodiment

A print control system 100 of a first embodiment is described below. Thefirst embodiment is described on an assumption that color toners and aclear toner are used as color developing materials and a transparentdeveloping material, respectively. However, the developing materials arenot limited to such toners and may be any developing materials. Forexample, ink may be used as the developing materials.

A configuration of the print control system 100 according to the firstembodiment is described below. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating anexample configuration of the print control system 100 of the firstembodiment. The print control system 100 of the first embodimentincludes a host apparatus 10, a print control apparatus (digital frontend) 50 (hereinafter, “the DFE 50”), an interface controller (mechanisminterface controller) 60 (hereinafter, “the MIC 60”), and a printer 70.

The host apparatus 10 is connected to the DFE 50. The host apparatus 10and the DFE 50 may be connected to each other via a wired or wirelessnetwork. The host apparatus 10 generates print data (document datarepresenting an original document) which is described in a language suchas PDL (page description language) using pre-installed applicationsoftware. The host apparatus 10 transmits the print data to the DFE 50.The host apparatus 10 may be embodied as, for example, a PC (personalcomputer). The host apparatus 10 will be described in detail later withreference to FIG. 6.

The DFE 50 communicates with the printer 70 via the MIC 60. The DFE 50receives the print data from the host apparatus 10. The DFE 50 convertsthe print data described in a language such as PDL into color-tonerimage data and clear-toner image data rendered in a format printable bythe printer 70. The color-toner image data indicates a recording amountof color toners with pixel-by-pixel density values on a target image.The clear-toner image data indicates a recording amount of the cleartoner with density values on a per-pixel basis of the image. The DFE 50transmits the color-toner image data and the clear-toner image data tothe printer 70 via the MIC 60. The DFE 50 controls image formation bythe printer 70 in this manner. The DFE 50 will be described in detaillater with reference to FIG. 14.

The printer 70 receives the color-toner image data and the clear-tonerimage data from the DFE 50 via the MIC 60. The printer 70 includes acartridge, image forming units, an exposure device, and a fixing device.Each of the image forming units includes a photoconductor, a chargingdevice, a developing device, and a photoconductor cleaner. The cartridgehouses the toners (the color toners and the clear toner). In the firstembodiment, the color toners are toners of the CMYK colors. The cleartoner is a transparent (colorless) toner containing no colorant.Meanwhile, the term “transparent (colorless)” is used to indicate havinglight transmittance of 70% or higher, for example.

The printer 70 forms an image represented by the color-toner image dataand the clear-toner image data on a recording medium such as transferpaper. More specifically, the printer 70 causes the charging devices tocharge the photoconductors and causes the exposure devices to irradiatethe photoconductors with light beams, thereby forming toner images onthe photoconductors. The printer 70 transfers the toner images formed onthe photoconductors onto the recoding medium while overlaying the tonerimages on one another and causes the fixing device to apply heat andpressure to the recoding medium at a temperature (normal temperature)within a predetermined range, thereby fixing the toner images onto therecoding medium. The printer 70 forms the image on the recording mediumin this manner. The structure of such a printer as the printer 70described above is widely known, and detailed description is omitted.

The print data (document data), which is transmitted from the hostapparatus 10 and received by the DFE 50, is described below. The hostapparatus 10 generates print data using the pre-installed imageprocessing application program (an image processing unit 212, aplane-data generating unit 214, a print-data generating unit 215, andthe like, which will be described later) and transmits the print data tothe DFE 50. The image processing application program (hereinafter,“image processing application”) is capable of handling not only imagedata which defines per-color density values (hereinafter, “densityvalues”) of each of color planes, which can be RGB (red, green, andblue) planes or CMYK planes, for example, on a per-pixel basis, but alsoimage data of a special color plane. The special-color-plane image datais image data for use in depositing a special toner or ink of, forexample, white, gold, and/or silver in addition to basic colors such asCMYK or RGB. The special-color-plane image data is data for a printerincluding such a special toner or ink. Meanwhile, there can be a casewhere R is added as a special color to the CMYK basic colors or a casewhere Y is added as a special color to the RGB basic colors to enhancecolor reproducibility. Conventionally, the clear toner is handled as oneof special colors.

The print control system 100 of the first embodiment uses the cleartoner, which is a special color, in applying surface effect, which is avisual or tactile effect, to transfer paper and in forming a transparentimage such as a watermark or a texture other than the surface effect.

Accordingly, the image processing application of the host apparatus 10generates, from image data fed to the host apparatus 10, not onlycolor-plane image data but also special-color-plane image data (which isat least one of gloss-control-plane image data and clear-plane imagedata) in accordance with user's specification. The host apparatus 10transmits print data containing the color-plane image data and furthercontaining, as required, the special-color-plane image data to the DFE50.

The color-plane image data, the gloss-control-plane image data, and theclear-plane image data are described below.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of color-plane image data ofthe first embodiment. The color-plane image data is image data whichdefines per-color density values of the RGB colors, the CMYK colors, orthe like on a per-pixel basis. An image represented by the color-planeimage data is formed using the color toners. The color-plane image dataindicates color density values with 8 bits for each of color componentsin accordance with colors specified by a user. For example, colordensity values of a single pixel can be represented using RGB values asfollows: R is represented by 8 bits; G is represented by 8 bits; B isrepresented by 8 bits. In the example illustrated in FIG. 8, densityvalues for colors specified by a user using the image processingapplication are assigned to each of drawing objects such as “A”, “B”,and “C”.

The gloss-control-plane image data indicates gloss control values foridentifying a type of surface effect to be applied to a region on arecording member where an image is to be formed using the clear tonerand the region where the surface effect is to be applied. Thegloss-control-plane image data thus allows identifying the type of thesurface effect, which is a visual or tactile effect to be applied to theregion on the recording member such as transfer paper. The imagerepresented by the gloss-control-plane image data is formed using theclear toner.

As does the color-plane image data which represents an image with RGBvalues or CMYK values, for example, the gloss-control-plane image datarepresents an image with 8-bit density values in a range from “0” to“255” on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Note that the density values (thedensity values may alternatively be 16-bit values or 32-bit values, orexpressed as 0 to 100%) in the gloss-control-plane image data arerespectively associated with surface effect types.

A same value is assigned to an area(s) where same surface effect is tobe applied independently of density of the clear toner that is actuallyapplied. Accordingly, even without data indicating regions, regions areeasily identifiable based on the image data as required. Put anotherway, the gloss-control-plane image data indicates surface effect typesand regions where surface effect is to be applied. (Separate dataindicating the regions may be added.)

The host apparatus 10 generates the gloss-control-plane image data(gloss-control-plane data) in a vector format as follows. The hostapparatus 10 expresses the surface effect types specified on theper-drawing-object basis by the user using the image processingapplication in density values each representing corresponding surfaceeffect such as gloss.

Pixels belonging to the gloss-control-plane image data are respectivelyassociated with the pixels of the color-plane image data. The per-pixeldensity values of the gloss-control-plane image data and the color-planeimage data serves as pixel values. Each of the color-plane image dataand the gloss-control-plane image data is configured as per-page data.

Surface effect can be roughly classified into types including typesrelated to absence/presence of gloss, surface protection,information-embedded watermark, and texture. The surface effect typesrelated to absence/presence of gloss are described below.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of surface effect typesrelated to absence/presence of gloss of the first embodiment. Referringto the example illustrated in FIG. 3, there are three surface effecttypes related to absence/presence of gloss. The types are mirror-likegloss (hereinafter, “premium gloss”), normal gloss, and dot patternmatte (hereinafter, “matte”) in an ascending order of gloss levels(glossiness). Hereinafter, the mirror-like gloss may be referred to as“PG”; the gloss may be referred to as “G”; the matte may be referred toas “M”.

Each of the premium gloss and the gloss enhances gloss by high degree,while the matte reduces gloss. Referring to FIG. 3, the premium glosshas Gs (glossiness) of 80 or higher; the gloss has normal glossiness ofa primary color or a secondary color; the matte has glossiness of 30%dot pattern of a primary color. Variation of glossiness, which isdenoted by ΔGs, is set to be 10 or lower. Density values are associatedwith surface effect types in such a manner that the higher the surfaceeffect enhances gloss, the higher the density value associated with thesurface effect, while the lower the surface effect reduces gloss, thelower the density value associated with the surface effect. Densityvalues in-between such a high density value and such a low densityvalues are assigned to surface effect types such as watermark andtexture.

Examples of the watermark include texts and background patterns. Thetexture represents a text or a pattern and can give not only a visualeffect but also a tactile effect. Examples of the texture includestained glass patterns. The surface protection is provided by applyingthe premium gloss or the gloss. Regions to which surface effect is to beapplied in an image and types of the surface effect to be applied arespecified by a user using the image processing application. The hostapparatus 10 which executes the image processing application generatesgloss-control-plane image data by assigning density values, each ofwhich depends on a user-specified surface effect, to drawing objectsbelonging to the user-specified regions on a per-drawing-object basis.Relationship between density values and surface effect types will bedescribed later.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the gloss-control-planeimage data of the first embodiment. In the example gloss control planeillustrated in FIG. 4, a user assigns the surface effect “PG (premiumgloss)” to a drawing object “ABC”. The surface effect “G (gloss)” isassigned to a drawing object “rectangle”. The surface effect “M (matte)”is assigned to a drawing object “circle”. The density values assigned tothe surface effect types are determined by looking up density-valuechoice information (see FIG. 9), which will be described later, for thesurface effect types.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of theclear-plane image data of the first embodiment. The clear-plane imagedata is image data representing a transparent image, such as a watermarkor a texture, other than the surface effect described above. The imagerepresented by the clear-plane image data is formed using the cleartoner. The example clear-plane image data illustrated in FIG. 5represents a watermark “Sale”.

The host apparatus 10 generates special-color-plane image data(gloss-control-plane image data and clear-plane image data) in a planeother than the planes of the color-plane image data using the imageprocessing application. The host apparatus 10 describes the color-planeimage data, and the gloss-control-plane image data and the clear-planeimage data (hereinafter, “image data of the respective planes”) in aportable document format (PDF) and generates document data by combiningthe PDF image data of the respective planes. The data format of theimage data of respective planes is not limited to PDF but may be anydesired format.

The host apparatus 10 is described in detail below. FIG. 6 is a blockdiagram illustrating an example configuration of the host apparatus 10of the first embodiment. The host apparatus 10 includes an I/F unit 201,a storage unit 202, an input unit 203, a display unit 204, and a controlunit 205.

The I/F unit 201 is an interface device for communication with the DFE50. The storage unit 202 is a storage medium such as a hard disk drive(HDD) or a memory which stores various types of data. The input unit 203is an input device for use by a user to perform various inputoperations. The input unit 203 may be embodied as a keyboard and amouse, for example. The display unit 204 is a display device fordisplaying various screens. The display unit 204 may be embodied as aliquid crystal panel, for example.

The control unit 205 is a computer made up of a CPU (central processingunit), a ROM (read only memory), a RAM (random access memory), and thelike. The control unit 205 provides overall control of the hostapparatus 10. The control unit 205 includes an input control unit 211,the image processing unit 212, a display control unit 213, theplane-data generating unit 214, and the print-data generating unit 215.The input control unit 211 and the display control unit 213 areimplemented by the CPU by reading out an operating system program storedin the ROM or the like and executing the program. The image processingunit 212, the plane-data generating unit 214, and the print-datagenerating unit 215 are implemented by the CPU by reading out the imageprocessing application program described above stored in the ROM or thelike and executing the program. The plane-data generating unit 214 maybe provided as a plugin feature installed in the image processingapplication, for example. Some part or all of each of the units may beimplemented in independent circuit (hardware).

The input control unit 211 receives input information responsive touser's input accepted by the input unit 203. For example, a user mayinput image specification information which specifies an image, to whichsurface effect is to be applied, from among images stored in the storageunit 202 by operating the input unit 203. (Examples of the image includea photograph, a text, a figure, or a composite image of two or more ofthem). The image specification information may be provided by a methodother than the method of accepting user's input via the input unit 203.

The display control unit 213 controls the display unit 204 so as todisplay various types of information. For instance, when imagespecification information is accepted by the input control unit 211, thedisplay control unit 213 reads out an image specified by the imagespecification information from the storage unit 202 and controls thedisplay unit 204 so as to display the read-out image on a screen.

A user inputs surface-effect specification information which specifies aregion, to which surface effect is to be applied, and a type of thesurface effect by operating the input unit 203 while viewing the imagedisplayed on the display unit 204. The surface-effect specificationinformation may be fed by a method other than the method of acceptinguser's specification via the input unit 203.

Accepting user's input of surface-effect specification information isdescribed below with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. 7 is a diagramillustrating an example of an image to be displayed by the hostapparatus 10 of the first embodiment when accepting input operations.FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image to be displayedby the host apparatus 10 of the first embodiment when acceptingsurface-effect specification information provided through inputoperations.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of an image displayed in a case where aplugin is installed in Illustrator (registered trademark) marketed byAdobe Systems Incorporated. In the example illustrated in FIG. 7, animage represented by color-plane image data is displayed. A region towhich surface effect is to be applied is specified by a user bypressing, with the input unit 203, an “Add Marker” button which is aninput operation for specifying the region to which the surface effect isdesired to be applied. The user performs such an input operation as thatdescribed above on every region to which surface effect is to beapplied. The display control unit 213 of the host apparatus 10 causesthe display unit 204 to display such an image as that illustrated inFIG. 8 for each of the specified regions.

The example illustrated in FIG. 8 includes image information presentingregions specified as regions to which surface effect is to be appliedand display information for accepting inputs of surface-effectspecification information. The input unit 203 accepts input operationsspecifying a type of surface effect for each of regions to which surfaceeffect is to be applied. The premium gloss and the gloss presented inFIG. 3 are denoted as “Inverse Mask” in FIG. 8. Other effects in FIG. 8than the premium gloss and the gloss, which are presented in FIG. 3, aredenoted as “Stained Glass”, “Line Pattern”, “Network Pattern”, “MosaicStyle”, and “Halftone”.

Referring back to FIG. 6, the image processing unit 212 performs imageprocessing based on user's input accepted by the input unit 203.

The plane-data generating unit 214 generates color-plane image data,gloss-control-plane image data, and clear-plane image data. Morespecifically, when the input control unit 124 receives informationspecifying colors of drawing objects contained in the image from theinput unit 203, the plane-data generating unit 214 generates thecolor-plane image data in accordance with the information specifying thecolors.

When the input control unit 124 receives information specifyingtransparent images such as a watermark or a texture other than thesurface effect and regions to which the transparent images are to beapplied from the input unit 203, the plane-data generating unit 214generates the clear-plane image data indicating the transparent imagesand the regions to which the transparent images are to be applied ontransfer paper in accordance with the information specifying theregions.

When surface-effect specification information (information indicatingregions to which surface effect is to be applied and types of thesurface effect) from the input unit 203 is received by the input controlunit 124, the plane-data generating unit 214 generates thegloss-control-plane image data indicating the regions to which surfaceeffect is to be applied on the transfer paper and the surface effecttypes in accordance with the surface-effect specification information.The plane-data generating unit 214 generates the gloss-control-planeimage data which specifies the regions to which surface effect indicatedby gloss control values is to be applied on a per-drawing-object basisof the image data representing the target image.

The storage unit 202 stores density-value choice information containinguser-specified surface effect types and gloss-control-plane densityvalues which depend on the surface effect types. FIG. 9 is a diagramillustrating an example of the density-value choice information of thefirst embodiment. Referring to the example illustrated in FIG. 9, thedensity value of regions to which “PG” (premium gloss) is assigned by auser is “98%”. The density value of regions to which “G” (gloss) isassigned is “90%”. The density value of regions to which “M” (matte) isassigned is “16%”.

The density-value choice information is a part of surface-effect choiceinformation (see FIG. 15 which will be described later) stored in theDFE 50. The control unit 205 obtains the surface-effect choiceinformation at predetermined timing, generates the density-value choiceinformation from the surface-effect choice information, and stores thedensity-value choice information in the storage unit 202. Alternatively,the density-value choice information may be generated as follows. Thesurface-effect choice information is stored in a storage server (on acloud system) on a network such as the Internet in advance. The controlunit 205 obtains the surface-effect choice information from the serverand generates the density-value choice information from thesurface-effect choice information. Note that the surface-effect choiceinformation stored in the DFE 50 should be same data as thesurface-effect choice information stored in the storage server (on thecloud system).

Referring back to FIG. 6, the plane-data generating unit 214 generatesthe gloss-control-plane image data by setting the density values (glosscontrol values) of the drawing objects, to which the surface effect isassigned by user, to values which depend on the surface effect types byconsulting the density-value choice information illustrated in FIG. 9.

Assume that, for example, a user assigns “PG” to the region where “ABC”is displayed, assigns “G” to the rectangular region, and assigns “M” tothe circular region of the color-plane image data illustrated in FIG. 2.In this case, the plane-data generating unit 214 generates thegloss-control-plane image data by setting the density value of thedrawing object (“ABC”) to which “PG” is assigned by the user to “98%”,setting the density value of the drawing object (“rectangle”) to which“G” is assigned to “90%”, and setting the density value of the drawingobject (“circle”) to which “M” is assigned to “16%”.

The gloss-control-plane image data generated by the plane-datagenerating unit 214 is data in a vector format which describes an imageas a set of drawing objects indicating coordinates of points, parametersof expressions describing lines and surfaces formed by connecting thepoints, solid color portions, special effects, and the like. FIG. 4 is aconceptual image of the gloss-control-plane image data. The plane-datagenerating unit 214 generates document data by combining thegloss-control-plane image data, the color-plane image data, and theclear-plane image data and passes the document data to the print-datagenerating unit 215.

The print-data generating unit 215 generates print data from thedocument data. The print data contains at least color-plane image dataand a job command, and may further contain gloss-control-plane imagedata and/or clear-plane image data. The job command includes, forexample, information for applying printer preferences and settingsrelated to multiple-page-in-one-sheet printing and duplex printing to aprinter.

FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example structure ofprint data of the first embodiment. In the example illustrated in FIG.10, job definition format (JDF) is used as the job command. However, thejob command is not limited to JDF but may be any job command. The JDFillustrated in FIG. 10 is a command designating “one-sided printing andstapling” as settings related to multiple-page-in-one-sheet printing.The print data may be converted to a page description language (PDL),such as PostScript (registered trademark). The print data may remain inthe PDF format if the PDF format is supported by the DFE 50.

Operations through which the host apparatus 10 generates print data aredescribed below. FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method to befollowed by the host apparatus 10 of the first embodiment in producingprint data. Illustrated in FIG. 11 is an example case where atransparent image is not specified and therefore the clear-plane imagedata is not to be generated.

If input of image specification information is accepted by the inputcontrol unit 211 (Yes at Step S11), the display control unit 213controls the display unit 204 so as to display a color-plane imagespecified by the accepted image specification information (Step S12). Ifno input of image specification information is accepted by the inputcontrol unit 211 (No at Step S11), the display control unit 213 waitsfor the input control unit 211 to accept input of image specificationinformation.

If input of surface-effect specification information is accepted by theinput control unit 211 (Yes at Step S13), the plane-data generating unit214 generates gloss-control-plane image data based on the acceptedsurface-effect specification information (Step S14). If no input ofsurface-effect specification information is accepted by the inputcontrol unit 211 (No at Step S12), the display control unit 213 waitsfor the input control unit 211 to accept input of surface-effectspecification information.

The process of generating gloss-control-plane image data at Step S14 isdescribed in detail below. FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a methodto be followed by the host apparatus 10 of the first embodiment inproducing gloss-control-plane image data. The plane-data generating unit214 identifies, based on the surface-effect specification information, adrawing object to which surface effect is assigned and coordinates ofthe drawing object in the image (Step S21). The drawing object and thecoordinates can be identified using, for example, a drawing command foruse by the image processing unit 212 in drawing the drawing object andcoordinate values involved in the drawing command. The drawing commandmay be provided by the operating system, for example.

The plane-data generating unit 214 determines a density value glosscontrol value), which depends on the user-specified surface effect typein the surface-effect specification information, by consulting thedensity-value choice information stored in the storage unit 202 (StepS22).

The plane-data generating unit 214 stores the drawing object and thedensity value, which is determined based on the surface effect type, asbeing associated with the gloss-control-plane image data (which isinitially null) (Step S23).

The plane-data generating unit 214 determines whether or not theoperations at Step S21 through Step S23 have been performed on everydrawing object belonging to the image (Step S24). If there is a drawingobject which is not processed yet (No at Step S24), the plane-datagenerating unit 214 chooses a next drawing object that is not processedyet in the image (Step S25) and performs the operations at Step S21through Step S23.

If it is determined that the operations at Step S21 through Step S23 hasbeen performed on every drawing object in the image (Yes at Step S24),generation of the gloss-control-plane image data is completed. Thegloss-control-plane image data (see FIG. 4) in accordance with thesurface-effect specification information accepted using the imageillustrated in FIG. 8 has thus been generated. FIG. 13 is a diagramillustrating relationship between drawing objects, coordinates, anddensity values of the gloss-control-plane image data illustrated in FIG.4. FIG. 13 shows that, for example, the coordinates indicating theposition of the drawing object “A,B,C” are “(x1,y1)-(x2,y2)”, and adensity value of the region identified by the coordinates is 98%.

Referring back to FIG. 11, when the gloss-control-plane image data hasbeen generated, the plane-data generating unit 214 generates documentdata by combining the gloss-control-plane image data and the color-planeimage data, and passes the document data to the print-data generatingunit 215. The print-data generating unit 215 generates print data fromthe document data (Step S15).

The configuration of the DFE 50 is described below. FIG. 14 is a diagramillustrating an example configuration of the DFE 50 of the firstembodiment. The DFE 50 of the first embodiment includes a receiving unit501, a rendering engine 502, a color-plane processing unit 503, agloss-control-plane processing unit 504, a halftone engine 505,total-amount-control mode information 506, and a transmitting unit 507.The color-plane processing unit 503 includes a first generating unit 511and a first correcting unit 512. The gloss-control-plane processing unit504 includes a second generating unit 521, surface-effect choiceinformation 522, a calculation unit 523, a selecting unit 524, anobtaining unit 525, and a second correcting unit 526. The DFE 50 storesthe surface-effect choice information 522 and the total-amount-controlmode information 506 in a storage unit (which is not shown in FIG. 14).

The receiving unit 501 receives the print data described above from thehost apparatus 10. In the description below, it is assumed that theprint data received by the DFE 50 does not contain the clear-plane imagedata which is referred to in the description about the host apparatus10. Meanwhile, the print data received by the DFE 50 contains at leastcolor-plane image data and further contains, in a case where surfaceeffect is to be applied to an image, gloss-control-plane image data. Thereceiving unit 501 transmits the received print data to the renderingengine 502.

The rendering engine 502 interprets the print data (the color-planeimage data or the gloss-control-plane image data) and converts the printdata from a vector format into a raster format. Rendering resolution canbe 1,200 dpi, for example. The rendering engine 502 performs color spaceconversion from the RGB color space or the like to into the CMYK colorspace. The rendering engine 502 outputs color-plane image data whichrepresents density values per pixel with 8 bits per color of CMYK((1,200 dpi)*(8 bits)*(4 planes)), and transmits the color-plane imagedata to the first generating unit 511. The rendering engine 502 outputsgloss-control-plane image data which represents density values per pixelwith 8 bits ((1,200 dpi)*(8 bits)*(1 plane)), and transmits thegloss-control-plane image data to the second generating unit 521, thecalculation unit 523, and the selecting unit 524.

The first generating unit 511 receives the color-plane image data whichrepresents density values per pixel with 8 bits from the renderingengine 502. The first generating unit 511 generates the color-tonerimage data described above by applying gamma correction to thecolor-plane image data using a 1D-LUT (one-dimensional lookup table)which is generated through a calibration method. The first generatingunit 511 transmits the color-toner image data to the second generatingunit 521 and the first correcting unit 512.

The second generating unit 521 receives the gloss-control-plane imagedata which represents density values per pixel with 8 bits from therendering engine 502. The second generating unit 521 also receives thecolor-toner image data from the first generating unit 511. The secondgenerating unit 521 generates clear-toner image data from thegloss-control-plane image data by consulting the surface-effect choiceinformation 522. Meanwhile, the color-toner image data is consulted forthe surface effect types by the second generating unit 521 in generationof the clear-toner image data. The surface-effect choice information 522is described below.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of the surface-effectchoice information 522 of the first embodiment. The surface-effectchoice information 522 has fields of density (%), density value(representative value, numerical range), effect, forms (glosser,printer, low-temperature fixing machine), total-amount control mode, andpriority level.

The density (%) is information indicating how glossy the surface effectis. In the example illustrated in FIG. 15, the density (%) isdecremented by 2%. The density value (representative value, numericalrange) is information expressing the density (%) by numerical valuesfrom 0 to 255. The numerical range is a range of density values in each2% range of the density. The representative value is a representativedensity value in each of the numerical ranges. The effect is informationindicating what type of surface effect is associated with each of the 2%ranges of the density (%).

The glosser, the printer, and the low-temperature fixing machine areinformation indicating how clear toner is to be deposited to give thecorresponding effect. The total-amount control mode indicates a type ofmode, which is a combination of a total-amount limit value and aprinting speed. The total-amount limit value is an upper limit of arecording amount of the developing materials. The priority levelindicates an ordinal rank according to which, in a case where two ormore types of surface effect are to be applied to a region on arecording member, which one of total-amount control modes of the surfaceeffect types is to be applied is determined. The total-amount-controlmode information 506 which stores multiple total-amount control modes isdescribed below.

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an example of the total-amount-controlmode information 506 of the first embodiment. The total-amount-controlmode information 506 has fields of total-amount control mode,total-amount limit value, and engine speed. The total-amount controlmode indicates a type of the total-amount control mode. The total-amountlimit value indicates a level of the total-amount limit value. Theengine speed indicates a printing speed of the printer 70. In theexample illustrated in FIG. 16, there are three total-amount controlmodes (A, B, and C).

Description goes back to that about the surface-effect choiceinformation 522 with reference to FIG. 15. The total-amount controlmodes and the priority levels illustrated in FIG. 15 are describedbelow. Generally, the slower the engine speed, the higher gloss surfaceeffect can be produced, while the faster the engine speed, the highermatte surface effect can be produced. For this reason, it is desirableto associate a combination of a large total-amount limit value and a lowengine speed with gloss effect such as the premium gloss and the gloss.Similarly, it is desirable to associate a combination of a smalltotal-amount limit value and a high engine speed with gloss effect suchas frosted or matte finish. The reason why higher priority levels areassigned to gloss effects such as the premium gloss and the frostedfinish is as follows. It is highly possible that each of the premiumgloss and the gloss cannot produce a sufficient gloss effect unlessotherwise in a recommended total-amount control mode. In addition, it islikely that the premium gloss and the gloss are more demanded by usersthan the other effects.

In the surface-effect choice information 522, a surface effect type isassigned to each of the 2% ranges of the density (%). More specifically,surface effect (the premium gloss and the gloss) which enhances gloss isassociated with a range of density values (from “212” to “255”) wherethe density percentage is 84% or higher. Surface effect (the matte)which reduces gloss is associated with a range of density values (from“1” to “43”) where the density percentage is 16% or lower. Surfaceeffect such as a texture or a background watermark is associated with arange of the density values where the density percentage is between 20%and 80%.

More specifically, as the surface effect, three different types of themirror-like gloss (premium gloss (PG)) are associated with pixel valuesfrom “238” to “255” in such a manner that a first type of the premiumgloss is associated with pixel values from “238” to “242”, a second typeis associated with pixels values from “243” to “247”, and a third typeis associated with pixel values from “248” to “255”. Four differenttypes of the normal gloss (gloss (G)) are associated with pixel valuesfrom “212” to “232” in such a types that a first type of the gloss isassociated with pixel values from “212” to “216”, a second type isassociated with pixel values from “217” to “221”, a third type isassociated with pixel values from “222” to “227”, and a fourth type isassociated with pixel values from “228” to “232”. Four different typesof the dot pattern matte (matte (M)) are associated with pixel valuesfrom “23” to “43” in such a manner that a first type of the dot patternmatte is associated with pixel values from “23” to “28, a second type isassociated with pixel values from “29” to “33”, a third type isassociated with pixel values from “34” to “38”, and a fourth type isassociated with pixel values from “39” to “43”. “None” of surface effectis assigned to the density value of “0”.

The forms fields of the surface-effect choice information 522 aredescribed below. Referring to the example illustrated in FIG. 15, forinstance, when a density value falls within the range from “248” to“255”, the form of the clear-toner image data to be generated by thesecond generating unit 521 is the inverse mask A, and the glosser andthe printer 70 are to be used.

The inverse masks are described below. An inverse mask is image datacreated by the second generating unit 521 for a region, to which surfaceeffect is to be applied, by calculating a sum of per-color CMYK densityvalues of color-toner image data expressing the region and subtractingthe sum from a predetermined value. The inverse mask is used to equalizetotal recording (deposited) amounts of the CMYK toners and the cleartoner per pixel across the entire region where the surface effect is tobe applied.

Example methods for creating an inverse mask are described below. Thefollowing is a first example of the inverse mask:Clr=100−(C+M+Y+K) for Clr≧0Clr=0 otherwise,  (1)

where Clr, C, M, Y, and K are a density percentage (%) of the cleartoner and density percentages (%) of the C, M, Y, and K color toners,respectively, which are obtained by converting per-pixel density values(0 to 255). The inverse mask created using Equation (1) allows, when atotal of recording amounts of the CMYK toners is 100% or lower, makingthe toner recording amount, which is a total of the recording(deposited) amounts of the color toners and the recording (deposited)amount of the clear toner on a region where the surface effect is to beapplied, 100%.

Meanwhile, in a case where the total of the recording amounts of theCMYK color toners is 100% or higher, the value of Clr is 0, andtherefore the density percentage of the clear toner is 0%. However, itis possible to enhance gloss even when the density percentage of theclear toner is 0% in a case where the total of the recording amounts ofthe CMYK color toners is 100% or higher. This is because a portion wherethe total the recording amounts of the CMYK color toners exceeds 100% issmoothed out by a fixing process. By being smoothed, surface unevennessof the region resulting from variation in the toner recording amount isleveled out, which increases an amount of specularly reflected light or,in other words, gloss.

Meanwhile, other values than 100(%) may be put on the right-hand side ofEquation (1).

The following is a second example of the inverse mask:Clr=100  (2)

where Clr of Equation (2) is a density percentage (%) of the clear tonerobtained by converting per-pixel density values (0 to 255). The inversemask created using Equation (2) allows depositing the clear toneruniformly on the pixels. Such an inverse mask which causes the cleartoner to be uniformly deposited on pixels is referred to as a solidmask. Meanwhile, other values than 100(%) may be put on the right-handside of Equation (2).

The following is a third example of the inverse mask:Clr=100×{(100−C)/100}×{(100−M)/100}×{(100−Y)/100}×{(100−K)/100},  (3)

where Clr, C, M, Y, and K of Equation (3) are a density percentage (%)of the clear toner and density percentages (%) of the C, M, Y, and Kcolor toners, respectively, which are obtained by converting per-pixeldensity values (0 to 255). In Equation (3), (100−C)/100 is a ratio ofexposed background area (hereinafter, “exposed background ratio”) of C;(100−M)/100 is an exposed background ratio of M; (100−Y)/100 is anexposed background ratio of Y; (100−K)/100 is an exposed backgroundratio of K.

Description goes back to that about the surface-effect choiceinformation 522 with reference to FIG. 15. An inverse mask 1 used fordensity values in the range from “228” to “232” is created by the secondgenerating unit 521 by using Equation (1) described above, for example.An inverse mask is used to increase the amount of clear toner to bedeposited in such a manner that the smaller the amount of the CMYK colortoners on a region, the larger the amount of the clear toner to bedeposited on the region. This is because, whereas a certain level ofgloss is produced by influence of the CMYK toners in a region where theamount of the CMYK toners is large, a level of gloss in a region wherethe amount of the CMYK toner is small is low. An inverse mask causes noclear toner to be deposited on a region where the amount of the CMYKcolor toners is large.

The DFE 50 may hold multiple variations of the surface-effect choiceinformation 522 each optimized for each of groups (e.g., coated paper ormatte paper) of the recording member. Holding such multiple variationsallows the DFE 50 to perform print control optimized depending on therecording member for use in printing.

Referring back to FIG. 14, the second generating unit 521 transmits theclear-toner image data generated by consulting the surface-effect choiceinformation 522 to the second correcting unit 526.

The calculation unit 523 receives the gloss-control-plane image datawhich represents density values per pixel with 8 bits from the renderingengine 502. The calculation unit 523 calculates an area of asame-density-value region having a same density value (region to which asame surface effect is to be applied) (hereinafter, sometimes referredto as “same-surface-effect region”) for each of same-density-valueregions in the gloss-control-plane image data. The calculation unit 523calculates an area ratio expressed as ((the area of thesame-density-value region)/(area of the entire image)) for each of thesame-density-value regions. The calculation unit 523 transmitsarea-ratio information indicating the area ratios of thesame-density-value regions to the selecting unit 524.

The selecting unit 524 receives the gloss-control-plane image data whichrepresents density values per pixel with 8 bits from the renderingengine 502 and receives the area-ratio information from the calculationunit 523. The selecting unit 524 selects a total-amount control mode foruse in printing the clear-toner image data based on thegloss-control-plane image data, the priority level defined in thesurface-effect choice information 522, and the area-ratio information.More specifically, the selecting unit 524 determines, for each of thesurface effect types, whether or not the area ratio of thesame-surface-effect region on the recording member is equal to or higherthan a predetermined threshold in the ascending order of the prioritylevels. The selecting unit 524 selects a total-amount control mode wherethe area ratio of the same-surface-effect region on the recording memberis equal to or higher than the predetermined threshold as thetotal-amount control mode for use in printing the clear-toner imagedata. Any desired value can be used as the predetermined threshold. Inthe first embodiment, the DPE 50 sets the predetermined threshold to10%.

A method to be followed by the selecting unit 524 in selectingtotal-amount control modes for use in printing the clear-toner imagedata is specifically described below with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18.

FIG. 17 illustrates an example where an image contains a circularregion, to which the premium gloss is to be applied as surface effect,and a rectangular region, to which the matte is to be applied as surfaceeffect. The selecting unit 524 identifies the total-amount control mode(A) and the priority level (1st) of the premium gloss by consulting thesurface-effect choice information 522. Similarly, the selecting unit 524identifies the total-amount control mode (C) and the priority level(4th) of the matte by consulting the surface-effect choice information522. The selecting unit 524 identifies an area ratio (20%) of thecircular region to which the premium gloss is to be applied and an arearatio (25%) of the rectangular region to which the matte is to beapplied by consulting the area-ratio information. The area ratio (20%)of the circular region to which the premium gloss is to be applied ishigher than the predetermined threshold (10%). Accordingly, theselecting unit 524 selects the total-amount control mode (A) of thepremium gloss as the total-amount control mode for use in printing thispage.

FIG. 18 illustrates an example where an image contains a circularregion, to which the premium gloss is to be applied as surface effect,and a rectangular region, to which the matte is to be applied as surfaceeffect. The selecting unit 524 identifies the total-amount control mode(A) and the priority level (1st) of the premium gloss by consulting thesurface-effect choice information 522. Similarly, the selecting unit 524identifies the total-amount control mode (C) and the priority level(4th) of the matte by consulting the surface-effect choice information522. The selecting unit 524 identifies an area ratio (3%) of thecircular region to which the premium gloss is to be applied and an arearatio (25%) of the rectangular region to which the matte is to beapplied by consulting the area-ratio information. The area ratio (3%) ofthe circular region to which the premium gloss is to be applied is lowerthan the predetermined threshold (10%). Accordingly, the selecting unit524 determines whether or not the area ratio (25%) of the matte which isthe second highest in the priority level is equal to or higher than thepredetermined threshold (10%). The area ratio (25%) of the matte ishigher than the predetermined threshold (10%). Accordingly, theselecting unit 524 selects the total-amount control mode (C) of thematte as the total-amount control mode for use in printing this page.

Unit on which basis the selecting unit 524 selects total-amount controlmodes for use in printing transparent-developing-material image data isdescribed below. The selecting unit 524 may select total-amount controlmodes on a desired unit basis. The unit may be determined as follows,for example. The host apparatus 10 accepts an input specifying a unit onwhich basis total-amount control modes are to be switched, and transmitsprint data and information indicating the unit on which basistotal-amount control modes are to be switched to the DFE 50. The DFE 50(more particularly, the selecting unit 524) determines the unit on whichbasis total-amount control modes are to be switched based on theinformation. The unit on which basis the selecting unit 524 selectstotal-amount control modes is specifically described below withreference to FIGS. 19 to 22.

FIG. 19 illustrates an example where the selecting unit 524 selectstotal-amount control modes on a per-page basis. Although desired glosseffect can be obtained in each of pages, in a case where, for example, atotal-amount control mode is changed alternately on a per-page basis,productivity can be decreased by frequent switching of the total-amountlimit value and the engine speed. In the example illustrated in FIG. 19,the selecting unit 524 selects A as the total-amount control mode forthe 1st to 3rd pages, selects C as the total-amount control mode for the4th and 5th pages, selects A as the total-amount control mode for the6th page, and selects C as the total-amount control mode for the 7thpage.

FIG. 20 illustrates an example where the selecting unit 524 selectstotal-amount control modes on a per-job basis. The selecting unit 524selects total-amount control modes on a per-page basis of print pagescontained in a single job as illustrated in FIG. 19 first. The selectingunit 524 counts, for each type of the total-amount control mode, thenumber of pages to which the total-amount control mode type is applied.FIG. 19 illustrates an example where the number of pages to which thetotal-amount control mode (A) is applied is four and the number of pagesto which the total-amount control mode (C) is applied is three.Accordingly, the selecting unit 524 selects the total-amount controlmode (A) that is the largest in the number of applied pages as thetotal-amount control mode for the single print job. In a case where twoor more types of the total-amount control mode are the largest in thenumber of applied pages, the selecting unit 524 selects a total-amountcontrol mode which is the largest in total-amount limit value and thelowest in engine speed to achieve high image quality. Selectingtotal-amount control modes on a per-job basis is advantageous in that,because neither the total-amount limit value nor the engine speed isswitched in a single job, waste of time resulting from such switchingdoes not occur. However, a desired gloss effect may possibly not beobtained if the job contains a page where a total-amount control modefor use in printing the job differs from a recommended total-amountcontrol mode of the page.

FIG. 21 illustrates an example where the selecting unit 524 selectstotal-amount control modes on a multiple-page basis. The selecting unit524 selects total-amount control modes on a per-page basis asillustrated in FIG. 19 first. The selecting unit 524 selectstotal-amount control modes on a multiple-page basis in a manner thatminimizes the frequency of total-amount control mode switching. In theexample illustrated in FIG. 19, the total-amount control mode for the1st to 3rd pages is A, the total-amount control mode for the 4th, 5th,and 7th pages is C, and the total-amount control mode for the 6th pageis A. Accordingly, the selecting unit 524 selects total-amount controlmodes on a continuous-page basis as follows. The selecting unit 524selects A as the total-amount control mode for the 1st to 3rd pages andselects C as the total-amount control mode for the 4th to 7th pages.Selecting total-amount control modes on the continuous-page basis allowsminimizing the frequency of total-amount control mode switching, therebymaintaining productivity and increasing likelihood of obtaining adesired gloss effect.

FIG. 22 illustrates an example where the selecting unit 524 selectstotal-amount control modes on a per-sheet-containing-multiple-pagesbasis. FIG. 22 illustrates an example where two pages are to be printedin one sheet. The number of pages to be printed on one sheet can be anydesired number. The selecting unit 524 selects total-amount controlmodes on a per-page basis as illustrated in FIG. 19 first withoutcombining pages into one sheet. The selecting unit 524 selectstotal-amount control modes on the per-sheet-containing-multiple-pagesbasis in a manner that minimizes the frequency of total-amount controlmode switching. In the example illustrated in FIG. 19, the total-amountcontrol mode for the 1st through 3rd pages is A, the total-amountcontrol mode for the 4th, 5th, and 7th pages is C, and the total-amountcontrol mode for the 6th page is A. Accordingly, the selecting unit 524selects total-amount control modes on theper-sheet-containing-multiple-pages basis as follows. The selecting unit524 selects A as the total-amount control mode for the 1st and 2ndsheets and selects C as the total-amount control mode for the 3rd and4th sheets. Alternatively, the selecting unit 524 may select A as thetotal-amount control mode for the 1st sheet and select C as thetotal-amount control mode for the 2nd to 4th sheets.

Description goes back to that about the DFE 50 with reference to FIG.14. The selecting unit 524 transmits information indicating thetotal-amount control modes selected on the per-predetermined-unit basisdescribed above to the obtaining unit 525.

The obtaining unit 525 receives the information indicating thetotal-amount control modes selected on the per-predetermined-unit basisfrom the selecting unit 524. The obtaining unit 525 obtains atotal-amount limit value and an engine speed of each of the total-amountcontrol modes from the total-amount-control mode information 506. Theobtaining unit 525 transmits information indicating the total-amountlimit values of the total-amount control modes selected on theper-predetermined-unit basis to the first correcting unit 512 and thesecond correcting unit 526. The obtaining unit 525 transmits informationindicating the engine speeds of the total-amount control modes selectedon the per-predetermined-unit basis to the transmitting unit 507.

The first correcting unit 512 receives the color-toner image data fromthe first generating unit 511 and receives information indicating thetotal-amount limit values of the total-amount control modes selected onthe per-predetermined-unit basis from the obtaining unit 525. The firstcorrecting unit 512 corrects the color-toner image data based on thetotal-amount limit values. The first correcting unit 512 transmits thecorrected color-toner image data to the halftone engine 505.

The second correcting unit 526 receives the clear-toner image data fromthe second generating unit 521 and receives the information indicatingthe total-amount limit values of the total-amount control modes selectedon the per-predetermined-unit basis from the obtaining unit 525. Thesecond correcting unit 526 corrects the clear-toner image data based onthe total-amount limit values. The second correcting unit 526 transmitsthe corrected clear-toner image data to the halftone engine 505.

Alternatively, a configuration in which only one of the first correctingunit 512 (which corrects the color-toner image data) and the secondcorrecting unit 526 (which corrects the clear-toner image data) performsprocessing may be employed. If the configuration where both the firstcorrecting unit 512 and the second correcting unit 526 performprocessing is employed, by what ratio the color-toner image data and theclear-toner image data are to be corrected based on the total-amountlimit values may be determined as appropriate.

The halftone engine 505 receives the corrected color-toner image datafrom the first correcting unit 512 and the corrected clear-toner imagedata from the second correcting unit 526. The halftone engine 505performs halftoning on the color-toner image data to convert thecolor-toner image data into a data format which represents thecolor-toner image data with 2-bit (4 levels of) halftone. Similarly, thehalftone engine 505 performs halftoning on the clear-toner image data toconvert the clear-toner image data into a data format which expressesthe clear-toner image data with 2-bit (4 levels of halftone. Note that2-bit halftone is only an example and halftone of any bits, e.g., 1-bithalftone, may be employed. The halftone engine 505 transmits thecolor-toner image data and the clear-toner image data having undergonethe halftoning to the transmitting unit 507.

The transmitting unit 507 receives the color-toner image data and theclear-toner image data having undergone the halftoning from the halftoneengine 505 and receives the information indicating the engine speeds ofthe total-amount control modes selected on the per-predetermined-unitbasis from the obtaining unit 525. The transmitting unit 507 transmitsthe color-toner image data and the clear-toner image data havingundergone the halftoning and the information indicating the enginespeeds of the total-amount control modes selected on theper-predetermined-unit basis to the printer 70 via the MIC 60.

A print control method of the first embodiment is described below withreference to a flowchart. FIG. 23 is the flowchart illustrating anexample of the print control method of the first embodiment. Therendering engine 502 interprets the color-plane image data received bythe receiving unit 501 and converts the data from a vector format into araster format. The rendering engine 502 transmits the color-plane imagedata in the raster format to the first generating unit 511. The firstgenerating unit 511 generates color-toner image data by applying gammacorrection to the color-plane image data using the 1D-LUT which isgenerated through the calibration method (Step S31). The firstgenerating unit 511 transmits the color-toner image data to the secondgenerating unit 521 and the first correcting unit 512.

The rendering engine 502 and the second generating unit 521 perform theprocess of generating clear-toner image data from thegloss-control-plane image data received by the receiving unit 501 (StepS32). The process of generating clear-toner plane data is described indetail below.

FIG. 24 is a flowchart illustrating an example procedure for the processof generating clear-toner image data of the first embodiment. Therendering engine 502 performs conversion from a data format in whichdensity values are assigned to drawing objects (see FIG. 13) to a dataformat in which density values are assigned to pixels at coordinates ofthe drawing objects (Step S41). Put another way, the rendering engine502 converts the data format of the gloss-control-plane image data fromthe vector format into the raster format.

The rendering engine 502 determines whether or not the operation at StepS41 has been performed on every drawing object (Step S42). If theoperation at Step S41 has not been performed on every drawing object yet(No at Step S42), the rendering engine 502 chooses a next drawing object(Step S43) and returns to Step S41. On the other hand, if the operationat Step S41 has been performed on every drawing object (Yes at StepS42), the rendering engine 502 outputs gloss-control-plane image data inthe raster format in which density values are assigned to pixels (StepS44). The second generating unit 521 receives the gloss-control-planeimage data in the raster format from the rendering engine 502 and thecolor-toner image data of the CMYK colors from the first generating unit511. The second generating unit 521 generates clear-toner image datafrom the gloss-control-plane image data in the raster format and thecolor-toner image data of the CMYK colors by consulting thesurface-effect choice information 522 described above (Step S45).

Description goes back to that about the print control method withreference to FIG. 23. The calculation unit 523 and the selecting unit524 perform a process of selecting total-amount control modes (StepS33). The process of selecting total-amount control modes is describedin detail below.

FIG. 25 is a diagram illustrating an example procedure for the processof selecting total-amount control modes of the first embodiment. Thecalculation unit 523 receives the gloss-control-plane image data in theraster format from the rendering engine 502. The calculation unit 523calculates an area of a same-density-value region (same-surface-effectregion) for each of same-density-value regions in thegloss-control-plane image data. The calculation unit 523 calculates anarea ratio expressed as ((the area of the same-density-valueregion)/(area of the entire image)) for each of the same-density-valueregions (Step S51). The calculation unit 523 transmits area-ratioinformation indicating the area ratios of the same-density-value regionsto the selecting unit 524.

The selecting unit 524 receives the gloss-control-plane image data inthe raster format from the rendering engine 502 and the area-ratioinformation from the calculation unit 523. The selecting unit 524obtains the total-amount control mode and the priority level of each ofsurface effect types (i.e., each of the density values) contained in onepage of the gloss-control-plane image data in the raster format from thesurface-effect choice information 522 (Step S52). The selecting unit 524chooses a not-yet-chosen surface effect in an ascending order of thepriority levels (Step S53). The selecting unit 524 determines whether ornot the area ratio of the surface effect chosen at Step S53 is equal toor higher than the threshold by consulting the area-ratio information(Step S54). If the area ratio is lower than the threshold (No at StepS54), the process goes back to Step S53. If the area ratio is equal toor higher than the threshold (Yes at Step S54), the total-amount controlmode of the surface effect chosen at Step S53 is selected (adopted) asthe total-amount control mode of this page (Step S55).

Meanwhile, any method can be used in selecting a total-amount controlmode of the page in a case where none of area ratios of surface effecttypes in one page is equal to or higher than the threshold at Step S53and Step S54. For example, the selecting unit 524 may select atotal-amount control mode of surface effect whose priority level ishighest in the surface effect types in the page as the total-amountcontrol mode of the page. Alternatively, the selecting unit 524 mayselect a total-amount control mode which is same as a total-amountcontrol mode of a previous page or a next page so that the frequency oftotal-amount control mode switching is reduced.

Description goes back to that about the print control method withreference to FIG. 23. After selecting total-amount control modes forevery page by performing the operation at Step S33, the selecting unit524 selects total-amount control modes of the clear-toner image data ona per-predetermined-unit basis (on the per-page basis, the multiple-pagebasis, the per-sheet-containing-multiple-pages basis, or theper-print-job basis). The selecting unit 524 transmits informationindicating the selected total-amount control modes to the obtaining unit525.

The obtaining unit 525 obtains a total-amount limit value and an enginespeed of each of the total-amount control modes from thetotal-amount-control mode information 506 (Step S34). The obtaining unit525 transmits information indicating the total-amount limit values ofthe total-amount control modes selected on the per-predetermined-unitbasis to the first correcting unit 512 and the second correcting unit526. The obtaining unit 525 transmits information indicating the enginespeeds of the total-amount control modes selected on theper-predetermined-unit basis to the transmitting unit 507.

The first correcting unit 512 receives the color-toner image data fromthe first generating unit 511 and receives the information indicatingthe total-amount limit values of the total-amount control modes selectedon the per-predetermined-unit basis from the obtaining unit 525. Thefirst correcting unit 512 corrects the color-toner image data based onthe total-amount limit values (Step S35). The first correcting unit 512transmits the corrected color-toner image data to the halftone engine505.

The second correcting unit 526 receives the clear-toner image data fromthe second generating unit 521 and receives the information indicatingthe total-amount limit values of the total-amount control modes selectedon the per-predetermined-unit basis from the obtaining unit 525. Thesecond correcting unit 526 corrects the clear-toner image data based onthe total-amount limit values (Step S36). The second correcting unit 526transmits the corrected clear-toner image data to the halftone engine505.

The halftone engine 505 receives the corrected color-toner image datafrom the first correcting unit 512 and the corrected clear-toner imagedata from the second correcting unit 526. The halftone engine 505performs halftoning on the color-toner image data and the clear-tonerimage data (Step S37). The halftone engine 505 transmits the color-tonerimage data and the clear-toner image data having undergone thehalftoning to the transmitting unit 507.

The transmitting unit 507 receives the color-toner image data and theclear-toner image data having undergone the halftoning from the halftoneengine 505 and receives the information indicating the engine speeds ofthe total-amount control modes selected on the per-predetermined-unitbasis from the obtaining unit 525. The transmitting unit 507 transmitsthe color-toner image data and the clear-toner image data havingundergone the halftoning and the information indicating the enginespeeds of the total-amount control modes selected on theper-predetermined-unit basis to the printer 70 via the MIC 60 (StepS38).

The printer 70 performs a printing process using the color-toner imagedata and the clear-toner image data having undergone the halftoning withthe engine speeds of the total-amount control modes selected on theper-predetermined-unit basis (Step S39).

In the above described example, both the color-toner image data and theclear-toner image data are corrected (at Step S35 and Step S36,respectively). Alternatively, only the operation at either Step S35 orS36 may be performed. More specifically, only one of the color-tonerimage data and the clear-toner image data may be corrected based on thetotal-amount limit values.

As described above, the DFE 50 of the first embodiment stores thesurface-effect choice information 522 which defines, on aper-density-value basis of the gloss-control-plane image data, types ofsurface effect to be applied using the clear toner, total-amount controlmodes, and priority levels according to which the total-amount controlmodes are to be applied. The selecting unit 524 selects total-amountcontrol modes for use in printing clear-toner image data according tothe priority levels. More specifically, the selecting unit 524 selects atotal-amount control mode of surface effect whose priority level ishighest in total-amount control modes of surface effect types associatedwith gloss control values contained in the gloss-control-plane imagedata. Accordingly, switching to an appropriate total-amount control modecan be made while taking influence of the total amount control onsurface effect into account.

The selecting unit 524 may be configured to select a total-amountcontrol mode for use in printing clear-toner image data in accordancewith a total-amount control mode and a priority level specified by auser through input operations rather than selecting a total-amountcontrol mode and a priority level based on the surface-effect choiceinformation 522 stored in advance. The user's input operations may beaccepted by either the host apparatus 10 or the DFE 50. A configurationwhich allows updating the surface-effect choice information 522 storedin advance in response to user's input operation may be employed.

Second Embodiment

The print control system 100 of a second embodiment is described below.The print control system 100 of the second embodiment implements a partof processing performed by the print control system 100 of the firstembodiment by utilizing a cloud system.

FIG. 26 is a diagram illustrating an example configuration of the printcontrol system 100 of the second embodiment. The print control system100 of the second embodiment includes the host apparatus 10, the DFE 50,the MIC 60, the printer 70, and a server apparatus 80 on the cloudsystem. The server apparatus 80 on the cloud system includes some of thefunctional blocks of the DFE 50 of the first embodiment. The hostapparatus 10, the MIC 60, and the printer 70 of the second embodimentare identical to those of the print control system 100 of the firstembodiment, and repeated description is omitted.

FIG. 27 is a diagram illustrating an example configuration of the DFE 50of the second embodiment. The DFE 50 of the second embodiment includes afirst receiving unit 501 a, a second receiving unit 501 b, the renderingengine 502, the halftone engine 505, a first transmitting unit 507 a,and a second transmitting unit 507 b.

The first receiving unit 501 a receives print data from the hostapparatus 10. The print data contains at least color-plane image dataand further contains, in a case where surface effect is to be applied toan image, gloss-control-plane image data. The first receiving unit 501 atransmits the received print data to the rendering engine 502.

The rendering engine 502 interprets the print data (the color-planeimage data and the gloss-control-plane image data) and converts theprint data from a vector format into a raster format. The renderingengine 502 transmits the print data in the raster format to the firsttransmitting unit 507 a.

The first transmitting unit 507 a transmits the print data (thecolor-plane image data and the gloss-control-plane image data) in theraster format to the server apparatus 80.

The second receiving unit 501 b receives color-toner image data,clear-toner image data, and information indicating engine speeds oftotal-amount control modes selected on a per-predetermined-unit basisfrom the server apparatus 80. The second receiving unit 501 b transmitsthe color-toner image data and the clear-toner image data to thehalftone engine 505. The second receiving unit 501 b transmits theinformation indicating the engine speeds of the total-amount controlmodes selected on the per-predetermined-unit basis to the secondtransmitting unit 507 b.

The halftone engine 505 performs halftoning on the color-toner imagedata and the clear-toner image data. The halftone engine 505 transmitsthe color-toner image data and the clear-toner image data havingundergone the halftoning to the second transmitting unit 507 b.

The second transmitting unit 507 b receives the color-toner image dataand the clear-toner image data having undergone the halftoning from thehalftone engine 505 and receives the information indicating the enginespeeds of the total-amount control modes selected on theper-predetermined-unit basis from the second receiving unit 501 b. Thesecond transmitting unit 507 b transmits the color-toner image data andthe clear-toner image data having undergone the halftoning and theinformation indicating the engine speeds of the total-amount controlmodes selected on the per-predetermined-unit basis to the printer 70 viathe MIC 60.

FIG. 28 is a diagram illustrating an example configuration of the serverapparatus 80 of the second embodiment. The server apparatus 80 of thesecond embodiment includes a receiving unit 801, a color-planeprocessing unit 803, a gloss-control-plane processing unit 804,total-amount-control mode information 806, and a transmitting unit 807.The color-plane processing unit 803 includes a first generating unit.811 and a first correcting unit 812. The gloss-control-plane processingunit 804 includes a second generating unit 821, surface-effect choiceinformation 822, a calculation unit 823, a selecting unit 824, anobtaining unit 825, and a second correcting unit 826. The serverapparatus 80 stores the surface-effect choice information 822 and thetotal-amount-control mode information 806 in a storage unit (which isnot shown in FIG. 28).

The server apparatus 80 of the second embodiment performs a part ofprocessing performed by the DEE 50 of the first embodiment or, morespecifically, the functional blocks of the DFE 50 except for therendering engine 502 and the halftone engine 505. The receiving unit 801receives the print data (the color-plane image data and thegloss-control-plane image data) in the raster format from the DEE 50.The receiving unit 801 transmits the color-plane image data to thecolor-plane processing unit 803. The receiving unit 801 transmits thegloss-control-plane image data to the gloss-control-plane processingunit 804. The color-plane processing unit 803, the gloss-control-planeprocessing unit 804, and the total-amount-control mode information 806of the second embodiment are identical to those of the first embodiment,and repeated description is omitted. The transmitting unit 807 receivesthe color-toner image data from the color-plane processing unit 803, andreceives the clear-toner image data and the information indicating theengine speeds of total-amount control modes selected on theper-predetermined-unit basis from the gloss-control-plane processingunit 804. The transmitting unit 807 transmits the color-toner imagedata, the clear-toner image data, and information indicating enginespeeds of total-amount control modes selected on aper-predetermined-unit basis to the DFE 50.

FIG. 29 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of a print controlmethod of the second embodiment. Steps in the method are identical tocorresponding steps of the first embodiment, and repeated description isomitted. The host apparatus 10 generates the print data described above(Step S61). The host apparatus 10 transmits the print data to the DFE 50(Step S62).

The DFE 50 receives the print data (the color-plane image data and thegloss-control-plane image data) from the server apparatus 80. The DFE 50converts the color-plane image data from the vector format into theraster format (Step S63). The DFE 50 converts the gloss-control-planeimage data from the vector format into the raster format (Step S64). TheDFE 50 transmits the color-plane image data in the raster format and thegloss-control-plane image data in the raster format to the serverapparatus 80 (Step S65).

The server apparatus 80 generates color-toner image data from thecolor-plane image data in the raster format (Step S66). The serverapparatus 80 generates clear-toner image data from thegloss-control-plane image data in the raster format (Step S67). Theserver apparatus 80 selects total-amount control modes (total-amountlimit values and engine speeds) based on the gloss-control-plane imagedata in the raster format and the surface-effect choice information 822(Step S68). The server apparatus 80 corrects the color-toner image databased on the total-amount limit values (Step S69). The server apparatus80 corrects the clear-toner image data based on the total-amount limitvalues (Step S70). The server apparatus 80 transmits informationindicating the engine speeds of the total-amount control modes selectedon a per-predetermined-unit basis, the color-toner image data, and theclear-toner image data to the DFE 50 (Step S71).

The DFE 50 performs halftoning on the color-toner image data and theclear-toner image data (Step S72). The DFE 50 transmits the color-tonerimage data and the clear-toner image data having undergone thehalftoning and the information indicating the engine speeds of thetotal-amount control modes selected on the per-predetermined-unit basisto the printer 70 via the MIC 60 (Step S73).

According to the print control system 100 of the second embodiment, theserver apparatus 80 on the cloud system performs selection oftotal-amount control modes and the like. Accordingly, the serverapparatus 80 can be shared among a plurality of the print controlsystems 100. Therefore, the print control system 100 of the secondembodiment can attain reduction in operating cost and hardware cost bycentralized management of the surface-effect choice information 822 andthe like.

Processing to be performed by the server apparatus 80 on the cloudsystem is not limited to that of the second embodiment. The serverapparatus 80 may be configured to perform any part of processing of theDFE 50. Alternatively, the server apparatus 80 on the cloud system maybe configured to perform all processing of the DFE 50. Furtheralternatively, the server apparatus 80 on the cloud system may beconfigured to include multiple servers so that processing load on theserver apparatus 80 can be distributed.

A hardware structure of the host apparatus 10 and the DFE 50 of thefirst and second embodiments and the server apparatus 80 of the secondembodiment is described below. FIG. 30 is a diagram illustrating anexample of the hardware structure of the host apparatus 10 and the DFE50 of the first and second embodiments and the server apparatus 80 ofthe second embodiment.

Each of the host apparatus 10, the DFE 50, and the server apparatus 80has hardware structure of a typical computer. More specifically, each ofthe host apparatus 10, the DFE 50, and the server apparatus 80 includesa control device 51, a main storage device 52, an auxiliary storagedevice 53, a display device 54, and an input device 55. The controldevice 51 which provides overall control of the apparatus may beembodied as a CPU or the like. The main storage device 52 which storesvarious types of data and programs may be embodied as a ROM, a RAM, orthe like. The auxiliary storage device 53 which stores various types ofdata and programs may be embodied as an HDD or the like. The displaydevice 54 may be embodied as a display device or the like. The inputdevice 55 may be embodied as a keyboard, a mouse, and/or the like.

An image processing program (including the image processing application(the same applies to the following)) to be executed by the hostapparatus 10 of the first or second embodiment may be provided as acomputer program product recorded on a non-transitory computer-readablerecording medium, such as a compact disc-ROM (CD-ROM), a flexible disk(FD), a CD-recordable (CD-R), or a digital versatile disk (DVD), as afile in a computer-installable or computer-executable format.

The image processing program to be executed by the host apparatus 10 ofthe first or second embodiment may be stored on a computer connected toa network such as the Internet and configured to be downloaded via thenetwork. The image processing program to be executed by the hostapparatus 10 of the first or second embodiment may be configured to beprovided or distributed via a network such as the Internet.

The image processing program to be executed by the host apparatus 10 ofthe first or second embodiment may be configured to be provided as beingpreinstalled on a ROM or the like.

The image processing program to be executed by the host apparatus 10 ofthe first or second embodiment has a module structure including theabove-described units (the image processing unit, the plane-datagenerating unit, the print-data generating unit, the input control unit,and the display control unit). From the viewpoint of actual hardware,the CPU (processor) reads out the image processing program from thestorage medium and executes the program to load the units on the mainstorage device, thereby generating the input control unit 211, the imageprocessing unit 212, the display control unit 213, the plane-datagenerating unit 214, and the print-data generating unit 215 on the mainstorage device.

The print control process to be performed by the DFE 50 or the serverapparatus 80 of the first or second embodiment may be implemented inhardware. Alternatively, the print control process may be implemented insoftware as a print control program. In this case, the print controlprogram to be executed by the DFE 50 or the server apparatus 80 of thefirst or second embodiment may be provided as being preinstalled on aROM or the like.

The print control program to be executed by the DFE 50 or the serverapparatus 80 of the first or second embodiment may be configured to beprovided as a computer program product recorded on a non-transitorycomputer-readable recording medium, such as a CD-ROM), an FD, a CD-R, ora DVD, as a file in a computer-installable or computer-executableformat.

The print control program to be executed by the DFE 50 or the serverapparatus 80 of the first or second embodiment may be stored on acomputer connected to a network such as the Internet and configured tobe downloaded via the network. The print control program to be executedby the DFE 50 or the server apparatus 80 of the first or secondembodiment may be configured to be provided or distributed via a networksuch as the Internet.

The print control program to be executed by the DFE 50 or the serverapparatus 80 of the first or second embodiment has a module structureincluding the above-described units (the receiving unit 501 (801), therendering engine 502, the color-plane processing unit 503 (803), thegloss-control-plane processing unit 504 (804), the halftone engine 505,and the transmitting unit 507 (807)). From the viewpoint of actualhardware, the CPU (processor) reads out the print control program fromthe ROM and executes the program to load the units on the main storagedevice, thereby generating the receiving unit 501, the rendering engine502, the color-plane processing unit 503, the gloss-control-planeprocessing unit 504, the halftone engine 505, and the transmitting unit507 on the main storage device.

In each of the image forming systems according to the first and secondembodiments, images are formed using toners of multiple colors or, morespecifically, the CMYK toners. Alternatively, the image forming systemmay be configured to form images using a toner of a single color.

In each of the image forming systems according to the first and secondembodiments, the selecting unit 524 selects total-amount control modesbased on priority levels and area ratios. Alternatively, the imageforming system may be configured to select total-amount control modesbased on either the priority levels or the area ratios.

In each of the image forming systems according to the first and secondembodiments, the calculation unit 523 calculates ((the area of thesame-density-value region)/(the area of the entire image)) for each ofthe same-density-value regions. Alternatively, a configuration in whichthe calculation unit 523 calculates areas of the same-density-valueregions, and the selecting units 524 selects total-amount control modesusing the areas may be employed.

According to an aspect of the present invention, switching to anappropriate total-amount control mode can be made while taking influenceof total amount control on surface effect into account.

Although the invention has been described with respect to specificembodiments for a complete and clear disclosure, the appended claims arenot to be thus limited but are to be construed as embodying allmodifications and alternative constructions that may occur to oneskilled in the art that fairly fall within the basic teaching herein setforth.

What is claimed is:
 1. A print control apparatus, comprising: areceiving circuit that receives gloss-control-plane image dataindicating gloss control values, each of the gloss control valuesidentifying types of surface effects to be applied using a transparentdeveloping material to a region on a recording member where an image isto be recorded and the region where the surface effect is to be appliedon the recording member; a storage circuit that stores surface-effectchoice information defining, for each of the types of surface effects,total-amount-control mode information including multiple total-amountcontrol modes, each of the total-amount control modes being acombination of a total-amount limit value indicating an upper limit of adeveloping-material recording amount and a printing speed, types of atransparent-developing-material image data for providing the transparentdeveloping material to the recording member, and a priority level ofapplication of the corresponding total-amount control mode; a generatingcircuit that generates the transparent-developing-material image databased on the gloss-control-plane image data and the surface-effectchoice information; a calculation circuit that calculates an area of aregion to which the surface effect is to be applied for each of thetypes of surface effects by referring to the gloss-control-plane imagedata; and a selecting circuit that determines, in ascending order ofpriority level, whether the area of the region to which the surfaceeffect is to be applied on the recording member is equal to or higherthan a predetermined threshold, and selects a total-amount control mode,where the area of the region is equal to or higher than thepredetermined threshold, for use in printing thetransparent-developing-material image data from the total-amount controlmode, based on the gloss-control-plane image data and the surface-effectchoice information.
 2. The print control apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the selecting circuit selects the total-amount control mode foruse in printing the transparent-developing-material image data on anyone of a per-page basis, a multiple-page basis, aper-sheet-containing-multiple-pages basis, and a per-print-job basis. 3.The print control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein thesurface-effect choice information is varied by a type of the recordingmember for use in the printing.
 4. The print control apparatus accordingto claim 1, further comprising: an input circuit that receives an inputspecifying at least any one of the total-amount control mode, thepriority level, and a unit based on which the total-amount control modeis to be selected, wherein the selecting circuit selects thetotal-amount control mode for use in printing thetransparent-developing-material image data in accordance with the input.5. The print control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theselecting circuit selects the total-amount control mode of whichpriority level is highest in the total-amount control mode of surfaceeffect types associated with the gloss control values included in thegloss-control-plane image data.
 6. A print control method performed by aprint control apparatus, the print control method comprising: receivinggloss-control-plane image data indicating gloss control values, each ofthe gloss control values identifying types of surface effects to beapplied using a transparent developing material to a region on arecording member where an image is to be recorded and the region wherethe surface effect is to be applied on the recording member; storing, bya storage circuit, surface-effect choice information defining, for eachof the types of surface effects: total-amount-control mode informationincluding multiple total-amount control modes, each of the total-amountcontrol modes being a combination of a total-amount limit valueindicating an upper limit of a developing-material recording amount anda printing speed, types of a transparent-developing-material image datafor providing the transparent developing material to the recordingmember, and a priority level of application of the correspondingtotal-amount control mode; generating, by a generating circuit, thetransparent-developing-material image data based on thegloss-control-plane image data and the surface-effect choiceinformation; calculating, by a calculation circuit, an area of a regionto which the surface effect is to be applied for each of the types ofsurface effects by referring to the gloss-control-plane image data;determining, by a selecting circuit in ascending order of prioritylevel, whether the area of the region to which the surface effect is tobe applied on the recording member is equal to or higher than apredetermined threshold; and selecting, by the selecting circuit, atotal-amount control mode, where the area of the region is equal to orhigher than the predetermined threshold, for use in printing thetransparent-developing-material image data from the total-amount controlmode, based on the gloss-control-plane image data and the surface-effectchoice information.
 7. The print control method according to claim 6,wherein the selecting includes selecting the total-amount control modefor use in printing the transparent-developing-material image data onany one of a per-page basis, a multiple-page basis, aper-sheet-containing-multiple-pages basis, and a per-print-job basis. 8.The print control method according to claim 6, wherein thesurface-effect choice information is varied by a type of the recordingmember for use in the printing.
 9. The print control method according toclaim 6, further comprising: receiving an input specifying at least anyone of the total-amount control mode, the priority level, and a unitbased on which the total-amount control mode is to be selected, whereinthe selecting includes selecting the total-amount control mode for usein printing the transparent-developing-material image data in accordancewith the input.
 10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprisingcomputer readable program instructions that, when performed by acomputer, cause the computer to: receive gloss-control-plane image dataindicating gloss control values, each of the gloss control valuesidentifying types of surface effects to be applied using a transparentdeveloping material to a region on a recording member where an image isto be recorded and the region where the surface effect is to be appliedon the recording member; store surface-effect choice informationdefining, for each of the types of surface effects: total-amount-controlmode information including multiple total-amount control modes, each ofthe total-amount control modes being a combination of a total-amountlimit value indicating an upper limit of a developing-material recordingamount and a printing speed, types of a transparent-developing-materialimage data for providing the transparent developing material to therecording member, and a priority level of application of thecorresponding total-amount control mode; generate thetransparent-developing-material image data based on thegloss-control-plane image data and the surface-effect choiceinformation; calculate an area of a region to which the surface effectis to be applied for each of the types of surface effects by referringto the gloss-control-plane image data; determine, in ascending order ofpriority level, whether the area of the region to which the surfaceeffect is to be applied on the recording member is equal to or higherthan a predetermined threshold; and select a total-amount control mode,where the area of the region is equal to or higher than thepredetermined threshold, for use in printing thetransparent-developing-material image data from the total-amount controlmode, based on the gloss-control-plane image data and the surface-effectchoice information.
 11. The non-transitory computer-readable mediumaccording to claim 10, wherein the computer is caused to select thetotal-amount control mode for use in printing thetransparent-developing-material image data on any one of a per-pagebasis, a multiple-page basis, a per-sheet-containing-multiple-pagesbasis, and a per-print-job basis.
 12. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein thesurface-effect choice information is varied by a type of the recordingmember for use in the printing.
 13. The non-transitory computer-readablemedium according to claim 10, wherein the computer is further caused to:receive an input specifying at least any one of the total-amount controlmode, the priority level, and a unit based on which the total-amountcontrol mode is to be selected; and select the total-amount control modefor use in printing the transparent-developing-material image data inaccordance with the input.